Arizona launched a statewide science education initiative on Thursday with widespread support from industry, government, and education communities. Science Foundation Arizona organized the kickoff in Phoenix with 30 of us originally invited but that quickly grew when 55 rsvp'd and 85+ showed up. [STEM = science, technology, engineering, math. Photo credit, SFA]
Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold is tossing in $500K to get the Arizona STEM Network rolling. Gov. Brewer announced $100K of federal stimulus funds will be allocated towards the project.
Simultaneously, President Obama announced a national science education effort called Change the Equation, headed by CEOs of major corporations.
Jay Labov from the National Academy of Sciences came out for the Phoenix meeting and laid out a vision of how science should be taught that fired up the educators in the audience.
Governor Brewer put in $100,000, but she is spending millions to enable the Arizona Historical Society to convert the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum into another history museum. That is a net loss for science. See the June 5th post on Mineral Museum Madness at www.minmumad@blogspot.com for details.
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